Slow Rockin' Christmas
by Mad Cow
Summary: Twas two days before Xmas, and all through a barn, came a story 'bout the Anis, it's truly a yarn!


Author's note: I did not write the Slow Rockin Christmas song, someone else did.   
***   
Lemme just wish everyone a safe and Happy Christmas, Hanukka, Kwanzaa, and Winter Solstice. :)   
***   
_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas, as snow begins to fall,_   
_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas, with holly on the wall._   
_While Santa's on his sleigh, we'll dance the hours away,_   
_We'll have a slow rockin Chrismas today..._

Chapter 1   
Rachel looked at the racks in the mall. This was the first time ever she had no idea what to buy in the mall.   
The animorphs were doing a Secret Santa thing, and she had drawn Ax. What on earth was she to get him?   
As she exited the store, something caught her eye. A Cinnabun...   
***   
Meanwhile, Cassie was having just as hard a time. She'd gotten Tobias. What should she get him?   
As she walked past the food court, she passed a Candy HQ. She ducked in, just for some ideas for her dad, who loved chocolate.   
As she walked to the chocolate area, her eyes caught on the gummi creatures. There was one bin, labeled with the sign 'Gummi Rats'.   
Hmmm, She thought, and grabbed a bag.   
***   
Jake however, wasn't having as much trouble as the girls. He had gotten an easy person, Marco. He aimlessly wondered in the sporting goods section, till he found what he wanted. A basketball...__

_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas, beneath the mistletoe,_   
_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas, as candles softly glow._   
_While Santa makes his fight, we'll dance away the night,_   
_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas tonight, ho, ho ho, ho._

Chapter 2   
Marco pulled down the ladder, proud of his handiwork. Cassie was his secret person, and for her gift, he decorated the barn for the Christmas party, saving her work.   
He had strung silver garlands all over the barn, set up a fake Christmas tree, decorated it, put on one side of it a fully lighted Menorah(it was the last day of Hanukkah), on the other side, a Kinara(A/N: A candle holder used in celebration of Kwanzaa, for those who don't know) put up fake snowflakes, put up a punchbowl and filled it with apple cider, put out a plate covered in cookies, dusted the floor with tinsel, put on a Christmas CD, and for the finished touch, above the door, Mistletoe.   
He then took his ladder, and snuck off.   
***   
Ax and Tobias were shopping together. Ax had drawn Jake, and Tobias, Rachel.   
Tobias had snuck into his old room, and took out all his savings from before.   
He bought Rachel a bouquet of White roses, with an attached note reading 'There's more, meet me at my tree, signed your Secret Santa'.   
The 'more' was a silver necklace with a hawk charm.   
Tobias followed Ax around the Party City where Ax was looking for Jakes present. Just as they passed one aisle, Tobias spotted something. He grabbed the plastic crown off the shelf, and held it out for Ax. "What about this for your 'Prince' Jake?" He asked. 

Chapter 3   
Cassie arrived home, and set down her stuff. Then she headed out to the bard for decorating. As she walked in, she found the barn already was! It looked really good, and was decorated for the three winter holidays, with a tree, Menorah, and Kinara.   
She looked at her watch, and relaized that it was later than she expected! She ran into her house to wrap the present.   
***   
Rachel arrived soon after, with her gift, and an armload of Chrismas CD's. Then Jake and Marco together, then finally, Tobias and Ax together(in human morph) a few minutes later.   
Soon the barn was filled with laughter and the sounds of the 98 degrees Christmas CD.   
After everyone had their fill of cookies and cider, they all sat cross-legged on the floor in a circle. Behind Jake were 6 boxes. They had found 6 identical boxes to wrap the presents in, so no one could guess.   
Jake took the first box(which felt a little warm) and read the name scribbled on the side. "Ax," He read.   
Ax took the box, and opened it. To the others looking on, his face got lighted up, and his eyes real big. "Cinnabunz!" He exclaimed. Within 30 seconds, the cinnabun, dissappeared, and the box was on it way, when Tobias pulled the box away.   
"Bow you're supposed to guess who gave it to you," Tobias reminded.   
Ax scanned the faces of his five friends. "Cassie?" He guessed. Cassie smiled and shock her head no.   
One guess was all they got, until the end, when the still-secret Santas would reveal who their person was.   
The next box was addressed to Cassie. It was very light. Cassie opened it, and inside was an envelope. "Look around, that is my gift". It was typed up, and she couldn't tell who wrote it. She considered Rachel, but then realized that her CD's would have already been in the player. It wasn't Ax or Tobias, she knew that(Ax wouldn't know human customs, and she was pretty sure Ax went shopping with Tobias). So it was either Jake or Marco. 50/50. "Marco?" She guessed.   
"Who else could have done such a wonderful job but the incredable me?" He asked. Cassie took that as a yes.   
The next box was for Rachel. She opened it up, and pulled out a bouquet of white roses. She gasped. "They're beautiful!" She exclaimed, and upon reading the note announced, "Tobias, this had to of been you!" He smiled.   
When no one was looking, Rachel winked at Tobias and mouthed, "I'm looking foward to it."   
He mouthed back, "Me too."   
Jake's box was next. Inside was a crown. Marco got it immidetally. "A crown!" Marco laughed.   
"A crown fit for a prince," Tobias added slyly.   
Of the two people Jake would have suspected of doing this(Marco and Ax) one had already admitted to Cassies present. "Ax!" He said.   
"It was I, Prince Jake," Ax admitted.   
"Don't call me Prince," Jake said.   
"Yes Prince Jake," Ax said, and the barn laughed.   
Everyone knew Jake didn't mind though, becuase he sat the crown on his head.   
The next box was for Marco. He opened it, and found a basketball. A note reading "So someday you may be able to beat me," Was attached, and Marco laughed.   
"Don't I already beat you, Jake?" Marco asked innocentally.   
As Jake pulled out the last box, Marco closed his eyes, and put his index finders to his temples. "I see....I see the next box will be for Tobias!"   
Jake announced, "Tobias."   
"How did I know?" Marco asked.   
"Because you're psycho and telepathetic," Rachel interjected.   
Tobias pulled off the wrapping vvveeeerrrryyy slowly, to create suspence in the others. "Just open it!" Marco mock ordered.   
Tobias jokinglly bowed his head. "Your wish is my command, Master."   
He pulled off the rest of the wrapping in a hurry, and then ripped off the tape. As soon as his eyes scanned the contents of the open box, he began to laugh very hard.   
"What is it?" Rachel asked.   
Tobias was laughing too hard to answer, so he pulled out the two gummi rats out of the box by their tails. When Tobias could finally talk, he said, "Cassie?"   
Cassie nodded in return.   
"By the way Ax," Rachel said. "I got you the Cinnabun."   
"Thank you Rachel," Ax said, which came out more like "Mhhuuump ooo hhufel," becuase Ax was busy scarfing Christmas cookies.   
After the presents were open, they started to stand. As they were, Marco announced, "OK, picture time!"   
Within 30 seconds, Marco had scooted Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Tobias to the barn door, where 'the light was right'.   
Marco aimed his camera, and said, "OK, everyone look up and say 'misletoe'!"   
The four looked up, and saw misletoe hanging above them.   
"Oh, he got us," Jake said in fake dissappointment.   
"We have no choice," Rachel sain an an equally quote, dissappointed, unquote, voice.   
Tobias put his arm around Rachels back, while she slid her arm around his neck, as their lips got closer, and met.   
At the same time, Jake and Cassie shared a kiss.   
***   
After a few minutes, Marco had taken his polarids of Tobias kissing Rachel and Cassie kissing Jake, and was throughly bored. FINALLY, the two couples broke up, and everyone re-arranged themselves into a circle on the barn floor.   
"Hey, Ax?" Marco asked. "I managed to fit in stuff from human holidays into the decorations, but I didn't know of any Andalite holidays. What do you celebrate around wintertime?"   
Ax by this time had demorphed to Andalite(He said he was suffering from pains in his digestion track). Unlike humans, Andalites are not religious in any sort, being more scientific. However, in the winter, there is a tradition called _Amba. Amba _is said to be the coldest night of the year, so families often go to a neighbor's scoop, or have neighbors come to theirs so they can stay warmer. The families stay up all night, until the moons set and the sun rises. Like human holidays, there is gift-giving as well, > Ax told his human friends.   
"Cool," Jake said.   
With that, the Animorphs continued talking and eating and laughing for hours. 

_I hear the Christmas bells playing deck that hall_   
_Oh how sweetly they chime,_   
_Bm, bm, bm._   
_Christmas is a joy for one and all._   
_I'm so glad that you're mine, all mine._

Chapter 4   
Rachel met Tobais at his tree after the party, just like they planned.   
"Hey Tobias."   
"Hey Rachel," Tobias said, in his human morph. "I got you a present."   
"Another?" Rachel asked. "I got you one too."   
They exchanged the gifts, but still held them, unwrapped.   
"You first," Tobias said.   
Rachel unwrapped her gift. She gasped at it, and pulled out the necklace. It was beautiful. "Silver!" She exclaimed, clasping it behind her neck.   
Tobias opened up his gift. He smiled. "Thank you Rachel," He said and kissed her on the lips.   
Rachel pulled a picture out of her pocket. It was one of the polorids Marco had taken. "I stole this from Marco," She explained. "Here, you can have it," She smiled.   
"Thank you," Tobias said, smiling back.   
"Ya know," Rachel said. "I found out today what Ax celebrates, but I don't know what you celebrate."   
"I'm Wiccan, and I celebrate Winter Solstice," Tobias explained. "Its December 22nd this year."   
"Can you tell me about it?" Rachel asked.   
"Sure. The Wiccans believe in two gods, the Lord and the Lady. The Lord has recentally died, and the Lady is grieving. On Winter Solstice, she has a child, and she knows that it is her Lord, comming back to her, so she is no longer sad."   
"That's sweet," Rachel said. "I like it."   
"Me too. Merry Christmas Rachel," Tobias said.   
"Happy Solstice Tobias." 

_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas, we'll dance till New Year's Eve._   
_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas, but now before we leave._   
_Let's make it very clear,_   
_We'll meet again right here._   
_We'll have a slow rockin Christmas next year._   
_A slow rockin Christmas,_   
_I can hardly wait for Christmas,_   
_And our slow,_

_Slow,_

_Slow,_

_Rock._   
_Once again next year,_   
_Next year_   
_Next year_   
_Once again next year_   
_Next year_   
_Next year._   
_Slow rockin Christmas next year!_   
  
  



End file.
